My companion has been given this device by a physical therapist prescribed by a pain specialist since a bulging disc between C5-6 is pressing on a nerve that goes to his rotator cuff. He alreadyhas had two cortisone shots in the disc. Has anyone had any experience with this kind of device?

And welcome to the Chronic Pain family! You are a wonderful and compassionate person to look for information on this device. I'm sure it's hard to see someone you love suffer with pain. I personally haven't had any experience with this unit but I'm sure others will come along and share what they know.

Please invite your friend to also come and join us. On Thursday nights we have a fun chat time that starts at 6PM Pacific & 9 PM Eastern time. I will post Thursday to remind everyone of the Chat Night and how to access the chat rooms if anyone needs to know.

I don't know about those, but I have seen the pictures of them. I have a herniated disc at the same place. I have been doing inversion therapy which seems like it is similar. I am letting gravity stretch and de-compress that disc....well that is the goal anway. I have been doing this three times a day for about 3 weeks now. I have also seen a PT on correct posture and helpful exercises. I am hopeful! I definitely see a decrease in pain.

I have never seen the over the door ones but I did have a home one that I lie down with and use a pump to get the pull I needed on my neck. If traction was helping in the PT's office then as my PT explained it, there is no reason it should not help at home. Just make sure to have your neck "put back" in place should it slip out because if you get on the unit with something out of place it is MAJOR ouchies.

In the United States today, there is a pervasive tendency to treat children as adults, and adults as children. The options of children are thus steadily expanded, while those of adults are progressively constricted. The result is unruly children and childish adults. ~Thomas Szasz

I had one a long time ago and I hated it. With mine, you put this cap made of straps on your head and under your jaw. You attached it from the top of your head to a strap with a pulley and a weight that hung from the door.

My problem with it was that it really aggravated my TMJ. The jaw pain was worse than the neck pain we were trying to fix. If you have the same kind, watch out for your jaw.